*taken from our April 2022 physical zine, "Lessons in Dissonance"
I interviewed Shallow Teeth's drummer, Joe, back in September 2021 and felt we needed to revisit this band entirely. This is an extremely versatile band on the fast rise here in Buffalo, pulling influence from bands like Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Misery Signals, and more. They're taking cues from the experimental, metalcore, and hardcore bands that shaped the 2000s for most heavy music inspired millennials, and are passionately fueling that amalgamation. One of my favorite aspects of Shallow Teeth is how accessible they are to such a broad fanbase. Their music, while already a well conceived product, is also an intelligent marketing strategy in and of itself. I've seen this band open for death metal bands, djent bands, and over-the-top melodious bands alike. Frontman, George Borowski is also responsible for the now annual Pig Roast show out in Silvercreek, NY – another fine example of music bringing the scene back together after the shutdown.
Here's what the dudes had to say for themselves:
1. Tell our readers the story of this band. Tell us everything! How did you guys meet? Where did the name come from? How did you arrive at your genre? What bands/artists inspired you to play the music Shallow Teeth plays?
George: I had recently left a project and was looking to start a new one with a style that fit my voice, which is the high energy hardcore that Shallow Teeth gives. We take our inspiration from bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Norma Jean and The Chariot. I was at a show I was putting on in August 2019 when I approached Jo about playing guitar initially in the project, which then turned to drums when members came and went. Kyle and I spoke while at a Bills preseason game and he was in immediately! Also, our name doesn't have a drawn out meaning. It came down to a list I wrote, we tossed a few names back and forth, but ultimately came down to Shallow Teeth.
Kyle: (Laughs) Yeah, George contacted me at a Buffalo Bills game, my first game even. After a few beers and with all the excitement around, getting that message was just icing on the cake for a good day! Back to reality the next day, and George filled in the details about wanting to start a fun heavy band. I knew it would be interesting with Jo in the band too, like there was potential for all the weird that was to come. At the time I was playing bass in an instrumental punky band, and this seemed like a great outlet to do something different. After getting together and pooling/debating our individual influences, we figured to shoot towards something similar to the style of hardcore that Norma Jean does so well. Think big chunky grooves and oddly melodic riffs. We do that but faster, and shittier because restraint is hard. When Henry finally joined the band it felt like a whole cohesive unit. Writing suddenly became fluid. He's one of those guys you get to know immediately and want to spend as much time with as possible.
Jo: To take a couple steps back into Kyle's part, we def had our little rotation of members who came through to see if they fit the bill. When we had our "first" lineup, I was on guitar. It was at that time we wrote Wolf Blood and Knife Fight (formally known as blood wolf and wife knife…) But once the drummer we had lined up at that time, everyone remembered I played drums. Having made a more personal connection with playing drums for Something Better at a show George put together at his house for Halloween a few years back, he reached out to me pretty quick regarding guitar. When we lost the drummer we had lined up, I was asked to hop and in here we are with my part… Not too upset about it since the boys let me write 2nd guitars and I get my fix there. But yeah, we went through some peeps with interesting drug stories… Some who weren't on the same level in regards to collaboration… And some who just didn't vibe with the quirkiness we have as individuals (you could script a sitcom around us sometimes (laughs)). But in spite all of that, we got to a point where we were just looking for a bassist to make a solid 4 piece, and along came our love and joy Henry 
Henry: I talked to George, at a show, and contacted him at a later date about joining the group. I had known Jo and George for a few years (George since high school (laughs)), but had never had a good chance to meet Kyle. I've always respected each of them as musicians, so I was excited to try out. The 4 of us got along great, and thus began my role as bassist in the band. I loved the direction, and the influences were right in line with the style I was shooting to write/ play.
2. How long have you all been playing your respective instruments and how did you get started in the first place playing music?
George: My start with playing music began when I was around 15 or 16, I was part of a punk band called MorbidFX, which truly makes me cringe to say now…but we all start somewhere! I then went on to multiple metal/hardcore projects including Cadence, Meridian and Norm From Cheers. I've been a vocalist for almost 20 years now! I also played guitar and bass in earlier projects. In middle school I was in chorus briefly!
Henry: I've been playing bass for 18 years, and have been playing music for 23 years. I started with trumpet in the 5th grade.
Jo: When it comes to drums, I've been playing for just shy of 5 years now. Outside the physical form of playing, I've been dabbling with writing them and learning the theory behind it for much longer than that. I've always been into music since I was a kid though. From chorus in all of elementary school to present. I wanted to play Cello at first, but in 3rd grade they said my hands were too small… Still salty about that (laughs). So instead, I wanted to play saxophone but my parents were worried I would quit after a year. In spite of that, I had to play clarinet before moving to Alto Sax after that. Played that in the elementary school band for 2 years until middle school, and was asked to move to Baritone Saxophone and sit in with the Jazz Ensemble. One of the best choices I made, and was my first exposure to drums as the teachers aid would teach me simple rudiments and play dumb stuff after rehearsals!
Sadly, after middle school I wasn't placed in the high school band due to my grades (ADHD and not needing homework to pass my regents exams apparently wasn't enough for them). So in advent of that, I picked up guitar and started learning songwriting/composition on my own in 9th grade. That pretty much was the decision that paved the way to where I am today. And with meeting a specific drummer, Joe Musial, in one of my older bands and him demonstrating that what I thought of was physically possible (Killer Chris by The Marianas Embrace), it spurred my interest in picking his brain for several years as band mates. As our time together ended within Amputecht, that's pretty much what got me dabbling in drums.
Kyle: It's been 20 years on guitar for me. I took lessons with a local jazz guitar instructor, starting on a classical acoustic guitar. Sight reading music for the first few years wasn't holding my interest, so my teacher offered to ear out a song from the radio to teach me. Obviously the best song on the radio in 2003 was "Try Honesty" by Billy Talent! I still remember his stink face while realizing that the tuning of the song was Drop D and having to adjust his big hollowbody jazz guitar. That was the first song I ever cared to learn, and that style of quick leads and the root rhythms within the same riff is something that really influenced me in all my time playing. Shallow Teeth plays in Drop D too!! But heavy, super heavy.
3. Name your top bands/artists of all-time, regardless of style!
George: Comeback Kid, The Dead Hearts, Every Time I Die, Lady Gaga, Queen, Parkway Drive (older, Killing With A Smile), Hall & Oats, Toto, Prince, Stray From the Path, Counterparts, Knocked Loose, Hundredth (older), Harms Way, The Chariot, AFI
Henry: Bayside, the Tony Danza Tapdance Exstaviganza, Joji, Dance Gavin Dance, Dirty Loops, Makari, He Is Legend, Osiah,
Jo: The Dillinger Escape Plan forever, Coheed and Cambria, Hail the Sun, SabrePulse, The Dear Hunter (NOT DEER HUNTER), Animals as Leaders, Anderson.Paak, Fox Capture Plan, The Flashbulb, and MXXWLL
Kyle: The Fall Of Troy, Gunship, The Bled, Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster, The Blood Brothers, Bring Me The Horizon, He Is Legend, Rage Against The Machine, The Offspring, Every Time I Die, Duck Duck Goose, Drop Dead Gorgeous, At the Drive-In
4. Talk about any new music as much as you can, and tell people what they can expect!
Jo: Having been elected to tell you this part, I'll do my best to be short (laughs).....
The newer material has been more reminiscent of our newer material (The self titled EP), but one thing we have recently agreed upon is making sure we are respecting each others influences while being comfortable getting out of our comfort zones in order to accomplish that.
That being said, the best way to describe what to expect coming up would be to list the main genres we wish to bring from our influences. With George being heavily influenced by hardcore and older melodic hardcore, Kyle being the Post Hardcore baby he is, Henry getting down with the more Djenty/Progressive Metalcore vibes, and myself being as random as I am have opted to focus on more of my Mathcore/Post-Hardcore/Spastic Hardcore influences; it's best to describe it as a menagerie of all of those. Let it be encompassed all in different parts of one song, or all different songs with them having their own respective themes, we just push what vibes with us.
The 2 new songs we are currently in the process of working through definitely pull from the Kyle/George vibes, but that being due to Henry and myself having worked together pretty heavily with the foundation of Carrier and Trust.
Either way, what else to expect beyond that will come from the vibes of what we chase, since the writing process for us is far more creative and collaborative than objective.
5. For George: Are you looking into becoming a promoter, or are you just doing your own shows hosted by Shallow Teeth exclusively? What are your future outdoor gig plans, etc.?
George: No, I am not looking to become a promoter in any way, shape or form! There is definitely a lot with booking, but the contacts I've made I do genuinely cherish them as they've led to us playing great venues and making new friends. I've always been a bit of a social butterfly, so reaching out to new venues and bands, hitting up local shows when I can and making those connections is something I enjoy. As far as the outdoor events, I started hosting free events in my own backyard just to gain traction for the love of local music. I love setting up shows and having all our friends come together. The pig roast developed from those backyard shows as I wanted to offer more music and camping! I plan to do the roast yearly in hopes it gets larger each time. There's 12 bands this year, including three traveling bands.
6. Now that you've been around the scene for awhile, talk about the most memorable shows you've played, along with your favorite venues!
George: I genuinely loved the atmosphere of Canton, OH, not just the venue (BuzzBin) but the whole city. Our most recent hometown show at Mohawk, we received a lot of positive feedback and it was a full house, a great feeling! Another great, yet unexpected show was at a drift event at the Erie Speedway in Erie, PA. It was a pretty wild time!
As far as attending shows that made for great memories, The Icon, early Every Time I Die shows were held there. They played with the Deadhearts, back to back shows there in one night, I got kicked out for being underage and having a wristband that was given to me by the bassist at the time. It was a pretty memorable night.
Mohawk when The Chariot played. I had never heard of them, or knew that Josh Scogin was the frontman. I was blown away and in awe from the experience of their energy, the crowd's energy, it changed the way I looked at music. From then on I really wanted a band with that type of energy that The Chariot had.
Henry: I'll never forget playing packed shows at Xwheels, but playing with shallow teeth is honestly becoming just as fun as back in the day. Recently, photo city music hall in Rochester has won my title of favorite venue.
Kyle: Every show I've ever played in a house or basement has been the best/sometimes most memorable shows I've played! Hit up Shallow Teeth though.
Buzzbin in Canton Ohio was a really solid venue to play. The whole area had a great atmosphere and the people there were super welcoming to us. In Buffalo, Mohawk Place has to be my favorite. Both seeing and playing shows, it just has this extremely accurate Buffalo feel to the whole operation haha
Jo: Good question… This is tough but if I had to pick one show I loved out of all the ones I played, it would be playing the Hulin Family Christmas Benefit show at Broadway Joe's (ohh the post). I was in Amputecht at the time, and playing this show was awesome to help out a local legend. But in spite of that, we were a progressive metal/djent band playing a bill stacked with death metal and thrash bands… We were definitely an outlier on that bill, but the crowd was insane… It felt great to play in front of so many people who were exposed to my younger days as a musician (Shoutout TME and Gallows Pull) and jam so hard to the material Amputecht had at the time. Between ripping solos and headbanging in the pit, the crowd involvement, and the overall vibe of the show… A memory I will cherish in regards to the buffalo scene
When it comes to favorite Venues: Everyone misses X-Wheelz, but The Waiting Room was where I played some of the most impactful shows of my life (Chon, Tesseract, Thank You Scientist, etc…) but seen some of my favorite artists (Hail the Sun and The contortionist will never be forgotten). Still existing locally, Mohawk Place since it's one of the last staple rock venues to still be going in Buffalo.
Outside the Buffalo Area, the BuzzBin had an awesome vibe (and $3 Long Islands…), Bug Jar in Rochester, and My Place Pizza out in the Red Hook/Poughkeepsie area.
7. Plug your upcoming shows!
June 11, Huntley Hose Campground, Silver Creek, NY
June 12, Bug Jar, Rochester, NY
June 25, Erie Speedway, Erie, PA
July 28, PhotoCity, Rochester, NY
August 6, Timeless Babez, Tonawanda, NY
August 27, Centerville, NY
8. Tell us who your favorite underground bands in the local scene are!
George: Anthropic (our grind brothers)
Henry: Inertia, Seplophile
Kyle: Pale Hell, Surrender The Hope, Deadbeat
Jo: The Queen Guillotined (wait for the bell), P.S. You're Dead, and Jalli.Cypher (though he is a rap artist, not a band)
9. Plug any relevant links to your online presence. (the simpler the URL, the better)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shallowteeth
BandCamp: https://shallow-teeth.bandcamp.com
10. Shows seem to be getting "back to normal", whatever that means. Tell us about the first shows you guys played or attended where you felt as though the pandemic was on the verge of becoming past tense in conversation.
George: Definitely our last show at Mohawk! They had recently dropped all the Covid requirements and you could feel the energy was different. You could see smiling faces, people enjoying each others company, comfortably! It was packed, even being the opening band. The crowd was alive with excitement, and the positive feedback after our set was amazing! Our biggest goal is always putting on a good show!
11. What has your reception been like lately versus when you guys started performing? I think you're one of the most marketable heavy bands on the scene right now, and I'm wondering if you've seen that reflected in your audiences as of late.
George: I can see the difference in the audience, not just the size but the reaction as well when we perform. It's pretty cool to notice fans that come to multiple shows.
Kyle: Crowd reaction has always been pretty positive for us. George does a lot of vocals from the pit and really gets the audience involved. Recently there have been bigger crowds at shows and just having that energy building brings people closer and catches everyone's attention. I'm looking forward to the shows this summer and bringing that energy to new fans!
Henry: We get a lot of crowd movement, And people seem to enjoy the energy.
Jo: People are much less confused, and definitely vibe out to it much more than when we started. Kind of used to any band I'm in not having a consistent sound that keeps people on their toes, so how we glue our sounds together I feel keeps it more fluid song to song. The perks of having recorded material. Between that and George's promotional moves of the band, it's definitely led to shows being much more involved. Beyond that, and growing together as musicians, our highs and lows all still feel great and we put on the best show we can!
For physical copies of WRETCHED SOUND, visit linktr.ee/wretchedsound
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